Students wait hours, brave cold for chance at Google gadget

A line snaked around Engineering Mall in Thursday’s rainy weather as students and community members waited hours in the cold for the chance to receive a free Google Home Mini.

“I feel really good, it’s always worth the experience no matter the wait,” said UW-Madison sophomore Allison McDougal, who waited almost two hours and opted out of studying for an exam for the chance to win a free device.

In an effort to promote their new product, the Google Home Mini, Google is visiting cities across the U.S. and Canada, setting up pop-up donut shops where attendees have the chance to walk away with a free gadget.

The Home Mini works similarly to Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa, and according to Google, is the size of a donut.

McDougal left the pop-up with a device in hand and was greeted by a chorus of cheers from employees, but not everyone was as lucky.

“I only got a donut, but it’s fun, it’s a cool experience,” said Jerry Han, a UW-Madison student who waited an unsuccessful two hours for a chance at a Home Mini.

However, the wait wasn’t entirely fruitless, Han said.

“I think all of this stuff is pretty cool,” Han said, gesturing to the elaborate pop-up shop which workers, contracted from Google, began setting up yesterday afternoon.

Michael Hibbard | The Daily Cardinal Even the grey weather couldn’t keep the crowd away from the chance at a gadget and a guaranteed donut. UW-Madison student Linnea Emerson said even if it began to rain, she would stay and “get soaked.”

“I’ve waited in line for so long already that it’s just too much, the opportunity cost isn’t worth leaving,” Emerson said.

While all the gadget fiends were hopeful for the chance at a free Home Mini, some were determined to obtain the device in stores if they were unsuccessful at Thursday’s event.

“The main reason I’m here … [is] to be a lucky one to get the Google Mini. If not I’ll buy it on Black Friday,” said Saumil Shah.

The employees working Thursday’s event were contracted out by Google and declined to comment.